A mechanical engineer’s view of the human body

June 22, 2010

By Flinn Foundation

[Source: AzBiz] – Like any operating machine, the human body is made up of a series of systems. Each component in the system serves a specific function to keep the system operating. There are biological pumps, valves, pipes, filters, wiring, as well as contents under pressure. And, just like a mechanical system, if the stress on the components is high enough, those parts can fail.

“Many of the answers to medical problems are often similar to answers to engineering problems,” said Jonathan Vande Geest, 32, assistant professor at the University of Arizona. “I love that you can utilize tools and expertise that’s been developed over the last 100-plus years in mechanical engineering to solve problems related to human health.”